Game



ay 13 ,1924. J 1,493,738

I E. L. COWAN GAME Filed Dec; 16. 1921 Patented ay 13, 1924.

UNITED s'rA Es EDMUND L. COWAN, OF EAST SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

GAME.

Application filed December 16, 1921. Serial No. 522,769.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND L. COWAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Games, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a. game or amusement device of the class which calls for more or less skill on the part of the players, and has for its object to provide a plane board whose top face is laid out and arranged substantially like an endless race course, and wherein the players use pieces resembling horses, checkers or the like, which are moved intermittently, and successively around the course from a wire or other common starting point. The said course being sub-divided longitudinally into a number of definite tracks, and also divided radially for providing an equal number of squares or blocks throughout each track, the corresponding squares being similarly numbered for tallying the players moves. A further object is to provide an imitation racing game, wherein a number of horses or pawns may be employed at the same time, and wherein means are provided for selectively starting the several horses, the said means preferably consisting of one or more dice, which may be thrown successively by the players, for indicating the order of the starting, as well as the intermittent progress of the horses around the tracks, the count or score of the dice preferably being tallied by moving the horses over as many of the squares, and the moves being made in a manner to effect the interruption of the direct forward movements of the horses. When the game is skillfully and adroitly played, one horse may be advanced according to the count of the dice and then stopped in a in anner to temporarily block the progress of another player whose turn at the dice follows the player who effected the blocking, thereby serving to handicap the blocked horse and prevent it from winning the race.

f The various features and parts of the invention will be understood from the detailed-description which follows and by reference to the accompanying drawing, in

'Figiire 1 is a top plan view of the game board; showing by an and dotted lines the manner of playing the game. Fig. 2 is a view of one of the toy horses in a running attitude. Fig. 3 is a view of a pair of dice forming a part of the game. Fig. 4 is respectively a top plan view and a side vie-w of one of the pieces from which the horse has been removed. And Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the figure shown in Fig. 2.

In the drawing, 21 represents a board or body, which is preferably rectangular in plan and has a plane to surface. 22 represents generally the endless racing course, which is enclosed by concentric fences 23-23, the latter fence being arranged to provide the usual oval or infield 24, common to race courses. The race course 22 is preferably divided longitudinally into a number of play courses or tracks a, b, e, (Z, c and f, which are equally spaced on the board by parallel lines, as shown in Fig. 1. The race course 22 is also divided radially for providing a relatively large number of sections or squares, which in the present case are numbered from 1 up to and including 20. These radial subdivisions extend across all of the tracks a, Z), c, &c., and hereinafter will be referred to as blocks or squares, 1 1 2 2 and so on. This method of dividing up the race course 22, provides an equal number of the squares for each of the tracks. w represents a wire which extends radially through the center of the subdivision 20 and designates the corcpmon point where the races or the games en In the preferred arrangement of the game, the movable parts or pieces preferably consist of miniature figures representing horses A, B, C, D, &c., and these figures are preferably mounted upon disk like bases, which resemble checker blocks, as best shown in full lines in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, and by dotted lines in Fig. 1. Any other kind of blocks or playing pieces may be employed instead of the horses, as shown in Fig. 1, wherein blocks resembling the circular bases of the horses are substituted for the horses, in order to more conveniently and clearly illustrate and play the game, in view of the reduced scale of the drawing.

At the start of the game where several players are participating, the dice (see Fig. 3) are passed from one player to another, and shaken for determining the order of the individual plays, as shown in the top portion of the oval 24. Th order of the starting being settled, the players select their pieces and place them in the blank space 20. The first player in order then takes the dice and throws them once, as shown in Fig. 3. The number shown on the dice indicates how many of the squares or blocks 1, 2, 3, &c., may be covered by the playing piece after each throw of the dice. At the start of the'game the players may choose either of the tracks a, b, 0, d, e or 1 over which he intends to move his horse or piece. This game may--be played in many different ways, but for the purpose of this description the order of the playing will be as follows: If a player throws the dice and obtains a count of three he moves his checker or horse straight ahead along the selected track and leaves it on the square 3 of the said track. If the count of the dice should show more than three he moves his piece three blocks straight ahead then two blocks laterally either towards the right or the left and then straight ahead again three blocks, and then laterally two blocks and so on until he has tallied the count of the dice. A particular feature of the game consists of a subsequent player selecting a course which will enable him to land his horse on one of the numbered squares directly in front of a preceding player, for the purpose of blocking the latter player and hindering his progress when he next receives the dice. In this way the more adroit players may prevent the other players from winning the game. Under certain conditions two or more of the playing pieces may be so positioned as to effectively block the progress of the same piece, and at other times one of the pieces may temporarily block the rogress of two other pieces. There eing the same number of the radially arranged squares for each of the tracks a, b, 0, &c., all of the said tracks are of substantially the same length as far as the game is concerned, and there is no particular advantage in point of time in a player striving for the inner or shorter track a.

If one of the numbered squares is occupied by a horse no other horse may enter or pass over the said square until the occupant has vacated. During the game the moves both forward and lateral must be made over clear squares.

The complete game is played as follows: The order of the start having been decided, as shown in the central field, A throws the dice for a count of seven. A then chooses the track d and he moves his piece over 1i, d d 0 b, b, to b where his piece is left. B then takes the dice and throwing a count of nine starts on track e travelling over 0, e e (1 c 0*, 0 0, and lands on 1) directly in front of A. C throws for a count of three and choosing track a, lands on square 0". D throws for a count of six, starts on track d, traversing d, d, d, c, b", and stops on b. E throws the dice and obtains a count of ten, and choosing track e, traverses e, e 0, d 0 0, 0, 0, d, and stops on e. Fs starting count is seven, and choosing track f, traverses f, f f a (i d, to d. G throws the same number as F, andstarting on track 0, passes over e, 6 e", d 0 0 and stops on 0". This completes the first playing interval, and the dice again go to A.

A being on square I) and being blocked by B on b, yields the dice to B. Bs throw obtains a count of eight, and he moves from I) over b b", c", d, d d and stops on (5". Us throw of the dice yields a count of four, and he moves from a over a, a, a, and stops on b the latter square having just been vacated by B. This last position of the horse C again effects the blocking of horse A, which still occupies the square 6 D being on square I) is blocked by A on b and loses the dice to E. E obtains a count of three and can only move straight ahead on track e from square 6 to square 9. F throws the dice for a count of seven, and moves from d to d d d then to the left to 0 b then forwardly across I) to I). G obtains a count of six and advances from 0 across 0, 0, 0 b a to a", which closes the second interval of the playing.

The opening of the third interval finds A blocked at b by horse C on the square I). B takes the dice and shakes six. This count carries B from d" through d, d, d, 0 b to b". C throws for a count of eleven and moves from I) over b, b b 0 d", d", d, cl, 0, b, and stops on b. D shakes seven, but being on square I) directly behind A on b is unable to move. E takes the dice and shakes for a count of four, and moves from e to e, e, e", and lands on d. F obtains a count of nine, but is blocked by C on b, which happens to be the third square directly ahead of F, and cannot be crossed until C vacates. G 0btains a count of eight and moves from a over a, a a", b", a", a, a, and lands on c".

The fourth play opens by A obtaining a count of eleven and moves from I) through be b7 be s, d8, is, die in, 11 bu d stops on b". B only obtains a count of two and moves straight ahead from b to I)". C throws the dice for a count of seven and progresses from I), over b b, b, 0, d, d" and lands on d". D shakes nine and moves from I), over I), 6, b 0, d, d, d", d to 0 Es throw of the dice nets a count of six and he moves from d, to d, d d", e", f f. F shakes the dice for a count of twelve, but is unable to move straight ahead three squares on account of I) being occupied by A, and is obliged to remain,

on square 6 G gets a count of three. and moves from a straight ahead to a.

2 opens the fifth interval of the game, by throwing the dice for a count of nine, but cannot tally the said count because C is occupying square d" and. one horse is not privileged to pass over anoccupied square that chances to lie in its course. The dice give B a count of eight,'and being positioned in square I) he passes under the wire a: and wins first place in the race. The remaining horses still being in contest may continue the game. 0 throws the dice for a count of six,

which carries him from square d to the wire :12, and he wins second lace in the race. D obtains a count of ten an moves from 0 h h 11 C12 13 b122 n n as m 616 to c. A count of five is awarded to E and he moves from 7" across f", f, f, e and stops on d. F being still on square I)" is blocked by A on I)". G receives a count of seven and progresses from a straight ahead to the wire 00, and is the third winner.

The sixth interval of the play opens by A throwing the dice for a count of five which carries him from b", over b, b, b, 0 to d. B and 0 being out of the race I) is the next to obtain the dice and obtains a count of eight, which entitles him to move from 0 over a", 0 0 b". a to the wire :12, and is awarded the fourth place. E obtains a count of nine and moves from d to the wire w, and becomes the fifth winner. F throws the dice for a count of eight and moves from 6 to b,-b b9, 0, d, d, d to d".

The seventh interval of the play finds A on d" and blocked by F on d. F shakes the dice for a count of six and moves over d", (2", 1i, 0, b to the wire at, and wins sixth order of the finish of the game is shown in the lower portion of the oval 24.

The foregoing describes one of the many games that may be played on the board 2, and it is obvious that the game as described may be changed in some of its details for increasing the interest as well as for requirin higher skill on the part of the players.

avmg thus described my invention what I claim, is'

In a game, a board arranged to simulate an endless race-course,a fence surrounding the outer margin of said course, a fence separating the inner margin of said course from an oval infield, the same course being divided longitudinally by markings for providing a plurality of parallel tracks, which are designated by symbols of a particular character, said. tracks being divided transversely by similar markings into an equal .number of squares which are designated by symbols of a character different from the first symbols, one of the transverse subdivisions representing the points of the starting and finishing of the race and containing a radial wire, said inner fence having an opening leading from the starting and finishing subdivision into the oval infield, and said oval infield having spaced rows of numerical designations for indicating the order of starting and the order of finishing, said rows being correspondingly designated.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EDMUND L. COWAN. 

